Welcome to Premier Bulgarian Birding Lodge

Branta Birding Lodge & Conservation Centre, overlooking Durankulak Lake and Black Sea, is ideally situated for visiting many top birding locations, endless and peaceful white-sand beaches, important protected areas and many sites of archaeological interest along those remote parts of the Bulgarian Far North that have avoided the construction boom.

Branta Birding Lodge

This high-quality three-stars complex (four bird-stars level according to the Bed & Birding category criteria) is an excellent, peaceful base for birders, photographers and nature lovers wishing to stay in a warm and friendly atmosphere and enjoy wildlife around protected wetlands and virgin steppe habitats. It offers outstanding birdwatching opportunities for novice and professional birders, including a variety of daily trips from Bulgarian and Romanian lagoons, along the Black Sea coast, through steppe habitats and ancient wet forests, to steep-sided gorges… It provides outstanding possibilities for Eco-Friendly vacation especially for running Nature, Wildlife and Photo Tours, Birdwatching Holidays and Short Breaks, Botanical Circuits, Hobby Tourism, Fishing, Weekend and Guided Day-trips.

Another bonus of this kind of accommodation is that visitors can take advantage of a quiet and unspoiled environment, calm atmosphere, outstanding views of the sea and the lake, as well lots of helpful tips and information about the surrounding areas and the country.

The Lodge, owned by knowledgeable birdwatchers, is open all year round.

It is providing a number of comfortable, quiet and clean double/twin en suite rooms equipped with double-glazed mosquito-screened windows, air-conditioning, central heating, mini-bar refrigerators, free Internet (wi-fi), computer station / printer/ scanner and colour TV. Most of the rooms are with view over the lake and the sea.

Branta Birding Lodge is located in the epicentre of the Red-breasted Goose wintering site and benefits from your visits are contributing to the conservation of this critically endangered species.

Our advantages:

– Comfortable, well-located and clean accommodation providing the basis for your visit to the region. It lies in a very strategic position along the Via Pontica flyway. From the Lodge it’s easy to get to the sandy beaches or to the protected wetlands. It is close to the Romanian border and to the international motorway E-87.

– Delicious traditional cuisine, including organic, locally sourced food and generous local hospitality in the company of your hosts, Tatyana and Pavel, who are able to provide a wealth of background information on wildlife matters and indeed on cultural topics, as well as singing and playing a nice evening piano-bar music that will fit perfectly to your style.

– Early breakfast, dinner and packed lunches can be provided by prior arrangement.

– Direct access to the advice and knowledge of Pavel Simeonov – one of Bulgaria’s leading naturalists and the only experienced ornithologist in the area. Having lived for years in Durankulak he acquired much experience with all the birds that can be seen in the region as well as the knowledge about the best locations where they can be found all year round.

– Knowledgeable bird guides speaking English, French available on request.

– The real natural features of the region – a combination of aesthetic beauty and the unspoiled aspect of the environment, i.e. only a few people are aware that Bulgaria still possess such areas of wildlife where “Nature is still Natural”.

– The wildlife starts at your doorstep,

i.e. over 190 bird species have been recorded from our terrace. The Lodge’s grounds and immediate surrounds having breeding Bee-eater colony, Barn & Scops Owls, Syrian Woodpecker, Stone Curlew, Golden Oriol, Ortolan, Black-headed Bunting, Lesser Grey, Woodchat and Red-backed Shrikes, Spanish Sparrows and Hawfinch, two resident raptors – White-tailed Eagle and Long-legged Buzzard, migrating Pelicans and Cranes in autumn and spring and a number of notable waterfowl, including Red-breasted Geese in winter, to name but a few …

– Outstanding views over Durankulak Lake and the Black Sea.

– Large library of bird and other wildlife books and month by month checklists, maps, videos and bird sounds collection.

– Swarovski spotting scopes, binoculars and tripods, wet weather attire and rubber boots (Wellingtons) available to hire at the lodge.

– Unique opportunity to visit Durankulak Archaeological Park located on the “Big Island”, near the western shore of the lake and just 300 m from Branta Birding Lodge, presenting more than Seven Thousand years of European culture, the earliest proto-civilization in the Old World, the oldest stone architecture in Europe and the largest prehistoric (Neolithic – Eneolithic) cemetery in the Balkans. The first worked gold in the world was also found here, as well as the only rock shrine to Mother-Goddess of Kibella discovered on the Balkan Peninsula.

– Our guided trips are very economic because we do not need to hire a driver or a guide nor to rent a car or book a hotel. Indeed, whenever possible we stay and eat in our lodge and travel with our own vehicles. Your host Pavel is leading most of our trips personally. He is also your driver providing a transfer service from and to the Varna airport in one hour only. Furthermore, our 7-seater 4WD vehicles are available on request for excursions with or without guide.

* Using our facility is the greenest solution in term of lodging needs.